ANN BALMFORTH: Fell House Exhibition, Wed 26 November

Sculptor and BELAY Artist Ann Balmforth will be exhibiting work as part of the November Artwalk in Fell House on Wednesday 26 November. We asked Ann to share a little about what inspires her.

“The British Museum in London was where I saw the Elgin Marbles for the first time and was the beginning of my fascination with classical sculpture; it was the sight of the Three Goddesses... I forgot to breathe... it was an incredible moment.

The complex draperies were so beautifully carved around their bodies and so incredible was the way they accentuated the female form beneath; although carved in stone the drapery added movement... life had thereby been captured at that moment.

Since then I have explored the use of drapery over very large figurative forms constructed from soft materials and found by concealing the form completely it added mystery to the work and instilled a sense of trepidation from the viewer.

Recent work has combined fabric with plaster creating pieces that have captured the fluidity of movement, its texture creates tactile surfaces with creases, fissures, cracks and folds allowing references to the human form. Other mediums are explored such as graphite and wax to enhance the surface. Concrete for outdoor pieces is also explored.”

The BELAY Creative Mentoring Programme offers FREE Business Mentoring to artists living or working in Wakefield. Read more about the programme and find out how to sign up HERE